Centrifugal apparatus for impregnating one material with another



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 9, 1947. E. G. KocHLl CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUSnFORy IMPREGNATING ONE MATERIAL WITH ANOTHER Filed Ma`y 14, 1942 Sept. 9, 1947. E. G. Kock-n.1 2,427,101

i CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS FOR IMPHEGNATING ONE MATERIAL WITH ANOTHER Filed May 14, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Sept. 9, 1947. E. G. KocHLl v 2,427,101

GENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING ONE MATERIAL WITH ANOTHER Filed May 14, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 9, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS FOR IMPREG- NATING ONE MATERIAL WITH ANOTHER Ernest G. Kochli, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Applied Sugar Laboratories, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 14, 1942, Serial No. 442,924

(Cl. Zul-67) 7 Claims. l

This invention relates to apparatus adapted for the dispersion of a liquid throughout the mass of a solid capable of being separated from a liquid in centrifugal apparatus.

It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus which may be employed generally for the distribution or dispersion of a liquid throughout a mass of solid material in a centrifuge, which solid material is capable of separation from its mother liquor by centrifugal action.

Itis a further object of the invention to apply the liquid to be dispersed automatically during a predetermined period in the speed and current cycles of a multi-speed motor driving a centrifuge.

The principles of this invention will be dened in the claims appended hereto and will be illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig, 1 is a diagram showing illustrative speed and current cycles and the manner in which these cycles are taken advantage of in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an illustrative circuit layout showing a circuit which may be employed in practicing the present invention; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective View showing a centrifugal and multi-speed motor and various flow lines and parts associated therewith.

Referring rst to the diagram of Fig. 1, the ordinates of thel curve marked "speed represent variations in speed and the abscissae the time of a typical speed cycle. The ordinates of the curve marked current show variations in current. and the abscissae represent increments of time of a typical current cycle corresponding to the speed cycle. The description of Fig. 1 will be stated in terms of the application of the present invention to the distribution of a vitamin solution throughout the mass or mantle of sugar crystals in a centrifuge, although it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the distribution of any particular liquid throughout the mass of any particular solid so long as the solid is one which is capable of treatment in a centrifugal for the purpose of separation -thereof from mother liquor, washings and the like. o

In accordance with the presentginvention the mantle of sugar in a centrifuge at a predetering a predetermined purging period to remove green syrup and the Wash water may be automatically applied during any desired or predetermined washing period which may also be followed by an automatically predetermined drying period.

The present invention may be advantageously employed in conjunction with the application of the invention of said United States Patent No. 2,244,652 and the cycles shown in Fig. 1 typify and illustrate a conjoint use oi? the present invention and that ofA said United States Patent No. 2,244,652 in those caseswhere the centrifuge is driven by a two-speed motor.

Referring again to Fig. 1; the curve represents the in-rush current when the centrifuge is started on the low "speed circuit. The portions 2A represent the 4current; changes during the change from low speed to high speed. The portion 3A shows the decrease of current in the high speed circuit as the basket picks up speed and gradually attains maximum speed, the corresponding part of the speed curve being represented by the numeral 4A. At any predetermined points 5A and 5a on the current and speed curves, respectively, Wash Water may be automatically applied in accordance with United States Patent No. 2,244,652, thus establishing the. end of the purging period and the beginning ofthe Washing period. The duration of the latter may also be predetermined in acy cordance with said United States Patent No. 2,244,652 and followed by a predetermined drying period, as shown in Fig. 1. y

At a predetermined point 6A on the speed curve the speed of the. motor is changed from high to low and the portions of 'the current curve marked 1A show the regenerative electrical eiect and thc'corresponding current changeresulting from this shift from high to low speed. The regenerative effect of multi-speed motors and 'the l accompanying speed changes therein are per se vitamin solution, emulsion-orthe like'` may be a,p.

plied to a mass of sugar in a centrifugal, that y In accordance with the inventionof mylIni-ted well known-and need not be described in' detail except 'tvo state that as a change is made from the high speed to vthe low speed circuit the curlrent' momentarily drops to zero and then increases again dueto the generation of current Afzby:thetmotor as afresult of the inertia or momeni tlimof the centrifuge.

The vpresent invention takes advantage of the curre'ntchange accompanying this regenerative States Patent No..2',244,652, issued June "3, 1941,

wash water may be automatically applied to the effect in order to automatically apply at a predetermined .speed and during a predetermined period. to the mantle of solid material. for eX- the portion IA of ample sugar, in the centrifuge, a liquid, for example a. vitamin solution, to be dispersed in said solid material.

There are four variables to be controlled, to Wit: (a) the quantity or mass of solid material in the centrifuge, e. g., sugar crystals; (b) the volume of liquid material, e. g., vitamin solution to be distributed; (c) the speed of the centrifugal; and (d) the time during which the vitamin solution is applied. When these variables are fixed the ultimate concentration of vitamins (for ex ample) can be changed by changing the concentration of the vitamin in the solution applied to the sugar. Having fixed the variables (a) and (b), it then becomes necessary to make certain that the vitamin solution properly penetrates the mantle or annulus of sugar crystals from the inside surface thereof to the outside surface but not beyond. If the penetration of vitamin solution (or other liquid material) extends for only a fraction of the width of this annulus then the result would be a mixture of sugar containing no vitamin with sugar containing an unduly high concentration thereof. If the vitamin solution penetrates not only the entire width of the annulus but passes out beyond it, not oniyis the vitamin solution lost but the desired concentration thereof in the sugar would be lower than calculated. The desired distribution of vitamin solution then becomes a function of the speed of the centrifugal and the time during which the vitamin solution is applied to the sugar. At high speeds the necessary time is less than at low speeds.

It is therefore highly desirable to be able automatically to select the speed at which the vitamin solution is applied and automatically t predetermine the period of application, and the present invention automatically provides this control.

Furthermore, since thev desired speed is automatically selected and the time of application automatically predetermined, uniformity from batch to batch results. It is of course possible to obtain these advantages by manual control but this necessitates extremely careful supervision and is therefore a relatively expensive operation. The present invention, since it accomplishes the necessary control automatically, greatly reduces the expense while at the same time assuring uniformly controlled satisfactory results.

Referring again to Fig. l, the speed at which the vitamin solution, for example, is applied may be selected at any desired point on the portions of the current curve marked 1A and la, preferably at some point on the curve marked "Ia, that is, While the current in the low speed circuit is decreasing and during the electrical braking effect which accompanies the regenerative effect.

The invention will further be described in connection with certain typical apparatus and the circuits therefor, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

The driving motor I illustratively shown in the drawings is of the two-speed line-start typey and the motor starter 2 is provided with a double throw contactor arrangement, operated through auxiliary relays for the automatic speed change.

When the remotely located 2pole master switch 4 is closed, the pull-in coil 5 of the contactor 6 in the motor starter 2 will be energized, which closes the contactor and causes the motor I to start on the W speed winding 8.

After loading the sugar basket, with the motor running on low speed, the operator presses the remotely located 2-circuit high-speed push button I2 which energizes the coil I4 of the 3- circuit relay I5 and simultaneously the coil Il of the 2-circuit relay I8. The bottom contacts 20 of relay I6 open, thereby de-energizing the pul1in coil 5 of the low speed contactor 6 which in turn opens the power circuit of the low speed motor winding 8. The top contacts 22 of the relay I5 close, thereby energizing the pull-in coil 24 of the contactor 25 in the motor starter 2, which closes the contactor 25 and causes the motor to accelerate on the high speed winding 28. The middle contacts 38 of the relay I6 maintain the oircuit to its coil I4 after the high-speed momentary contact push button I2 has been released.

The top contacts 32 of the 2-circuit relay I8 close and thereby maintain the circuit to-its coil I'I after the high-speed momentary contact push button I2 has been released, and the bottom contacts 33 of relay I8 close the circuit to the coil 35 of the regeneration timing relay 56 provided with dash pot 38.

With the closing of the high speed contactor 25 the current transformer 40 connected in the high speed motor winding 28 becomes energized and the induced secondary current energizes the coil 4I of the high-speed current limiting relay 42, the contacts 44 of which are normally kept open by a lock-out device including lever 46 and plunger 48. The plunger or adjustable core 41 is so adjusted in relation to the coil 4I as to cause the closing of the contacts 44 when the speed of the motor has reached a selected and predetermined maximum (see 5a, Fig. 1) corresponding to va predetermined minimum current in the high speed motor Winding (see 5A, Fig. 1) in accordance with the invention of my United States Patent No. 2,244,652. i

Simultaneously the auxiliary contact 50 on the high speed contactor 25 closes and energizes the shunt solenoid coil 52, thereby actuating the current limiting relay lock-out device 46, 48. The closing of contacts 44 energizes the solenoid coil 54 of the Wash Water valve 56, as well as the motor 5`I and clutch coil 58 in the wash water timer 55. The wash water valve thereby opens and the timer 59 initiates the washing period. The manually operated switch 6I is used to permit operation of the wash water valve independently of the timing mechanism 59.

Simultaneously with the initiation of the water spraying the coil 63 of the time-delay relay-G4, provided with dash pot shift for the syrup segregation, becomes energized. After a predetermined time interval the relay contacts 68 close which energizes the solenoid coil 69 in the air valve 10, thus opening the said valve and admitting compressed air to the gutter shift mechanism 1I. This need not be described in detail since it is substantially the same as described in my United States Patent No. 2,244,652. With the closing of the time-delay relay contacts B8 and the coil 'I3 of the maintaining relay 'I4 also becomes energized, which in turn l closes its contacts l5 and keeps the air va lve solenoid coil 59 energized for the remainder of the cycle.

After a predetermined time interval the contacts 16 in the water timer 58 close, thereby energizing the coil 18 of the wash water limiting relay 'I9 as well as the motor 8| and clutch coil 82 in the drying timer 83. The contacts 85 of the wash water limiting relay 'I9 open, which deenergizes the solenoid coil 54 thereby closing the spray water valve 56. With the opening of the water limiting relay contacts 85 the motor 5l in the water timer 59 will also be stopped.

At this time, the end of the washing period and 55, actuating the gutter vitamin spraying valve ||2.

the beginning of the drying period have been reached. After a predetermined time interval the contacts 81 in the drying timer B3 open. The motor 8| then stops and simultaneously the coil i4 of the 3-circuit relay I6 in the motor starter 2 is de-energized. The upper contacts 22 of this relay I6 open, thereby de-energizing the pull-in coil 24 of the high speed contactor 25, which in turn disconnects the motor high speed winding 28 from the line. At the same time the middle contacts 30 of the 3-circuit relay I6 open, thus breaking the coil-maintaining circuit. The bottom contacts 20 of this relay I6 close and the pull-in coil of the low speed contactor 6 becomes energized thereby closing the power circuit to the low speed motor winding 3. This marks the end of the drying period and the beginning of the regeneration period indicated by 1A'of Fig. l.

The change-over from high speed to low speed initiates the regenerative braking action in the motor and with the closing of the low speed con- Y tactor 6 the current transformer 90 connected in the low speed motor winding 6 becomes energized. The induced ,secondary current energizes the coil 9| of the low-speed" currentlimit relay 92, the contacts 93 of which are normally kept open by a lock-out device including lever 94 and plunger 95.

Simultaneously with the closing of the low speed contactor 6 the coil 35 of the regeneration timing relay 36 in the motor starter 2 is energized. This actuates the dash pot time-lagged relay 36 to close contacts |06 and open contacts |01 which determine the duration of the regeneration period as hereinafter more fully explained. Also, the coil |00 of the single circuit interlocking relay |0| becomes energized through the bottom con- .tacts of the 3circuit relay I6. The energizing of coil |00 closes contacts |03,'in a circuit including coil |04, which circuit can be completed only upon closing of contacts |03. The energizing of coil |04 retracts plunger 95 to permit operation of the core |09 of the relay 92 to initiate the period during which vitamin solution is to be applied (see Fig. 1).

At a predetermined current value which corresponds to a definite motor speed during thedecelerating period the contacts 93 of the lowspeed current limiting relay 92 close, thus energizing the valve solenoid coil I0 and opening the Simultaneously the motor ||4 and the clutch coil ||5 in the vitamin spray timer I6 become energized, which initiates and controls the vitamin spraying period or disperslon period (see Fig. 1).

The selection of the p'recise speed of the motor at which to initiate the application of the vitamin or other liquid to be dispersed may be controlled by adjusting the position of the core |09 in relation to the coil 9| since the closing of the contacts 93 at any selected current value in the transformer 90 corresponding to said selected speed depends upon said adjustment.

After a predetermined time interval the contacts ||8 of the timer ||6 close and the coil |20 of the vitamin spray limiting relay |2l' will be energized, which results in the opening of the relay contacts |22 and in turn causes the deenergizing of the solenoid coil I0 and the closing of the vitamin spraying valve H2. At the same time the timer motor ||4 will be stopped, which concludes the vitamin spraying period.

After a predetermined time interval the regeneration timing relay 36 in the motor starter 2 opens the bottom contacts |01, which de-enersizes the pull-in coil of the low speed contactor 6 and causes the contactor to disconnect the low speed motor winding 8 from the power supply line |23. This marks the end of the regeneration period. Simultaneously the top contacts |06 in the timing relay 36 close, which energizes the solenoid coil |24 which operates the air valve |25 for the mechanical braking device |26 on the brake drum |21 of the centrifuge motor After the machine has come to rest by mechanical braking the operator opens the 2-pole master switch 4 which de-energizes all remote control circuits and re-sets all relays and timers to their original off position.

While the specific description has referred to the application of the mechanism to the dispersion of a vitamin solution in a mass of sugar crystals, it will be clear that the said mechanism is applicablegenerally to the dispersion of a liquid in a mass of solid material separated from liquid material in a centrifuge, as stated at the beginning of this specification.

I claim:

1. In centrifugal apparatus adapted to impregnate sugar with a solution separable therefrom by centrifuging, Vthe combination with a centrifuge and a variable speed motor having a high speed winding ,and a low speed winding; of valve means for delivering solution to the sugar in said centrifuge, a first switch means adapted to be closed to energize the low speed winding of the motor to operate the centrifuge at a low speed, a second switch means adapted to be closed to energize the high speed winding of the motor to operate the centrifuge at a higher speed,.means for opening said first switch means coincidently with the closing of the second switch means, a first timer device adapted to open said second switch means and coincidently close said first switch means after an interval of high speed operation of the centrifuge, thereby generating a reverse current in'said low speed winding, a circuit energized by said reversel current adapted to open said valve means, said valve means being normally closed during said low speed and high speed operation of the centrifuge. a second timer device actuated by said circuit for closing said valve means after an interval of time during which solution is introduced to the sugar in the centrifuge to impregnate rthe same, and timing means actuated by said first timer device for opening said first switch means before any solution is spun out of the centrifuge, said motor being thereby disconnected from the low speed winding and the centrifuge coming-to a halt.

2. In centrifugal apparatus adapted to impregnate sugar with a solution separable therefrom by centrifuging, the combination with acentrifuge and a variable speed motor having a high speed winding and a low speed winding; of valve means for delivering solution to the sugar in said centrifuge, a first switch means adapted `to vbe closed to energize the low speed winding of the motor to operate the centrifuge ai', a low speed, a second switch means adapted to be closed to energize the high speed winding of the motor 'to operate the centrifuge at a higher speed, means for opening said first switch means coincidently with the closing of the second switch means. a first timer device adapted to open said second switch means. and rcoincidently close said vfirst switch means after an interval of high speed operation of the centrifuge, thereby generating a reverse current in said low speed winding, a circuit energized by said reverse current adapted to open said valve means, said valve means being normally closed during said low speed and high speed operation of the centrifuge, a second timer device adapted to de-energize said circuit to close said valve means, and timing means actuated by said rst timer device for opening said first switch means after impregnation of the sugar and before any solution is spun out of the centrifuge, said motor being thereby disconnected from the low speed winding and the centrifuge coming to a halt.

3. In centrifugal apparatus adapted to purify sugar and to impregnate the same with a vitamin solution separable therefrom by centrifuging, the combination with a centrifuge and a variable speed motor having a high speed winding and a low speed winding, each connectable in and disconnectable from a power circuit; of water supply means adapted to deliver wash water to the sugar in said centrifugal, means adapted to actuate said water supply means in response to predetermined high speed operation of the motor, wash water timer means adapted to render said water supply means inoperative after a predetermined time interval and adapted to initiate a drying interval during which the sugar in said centrifugal is dried, drying timer means actuated by said wash Water timer means for limiting said drying interval by disconnecting the high speed winding from the power circuit and coincidently connecting in the latter circuit the low speed winding after a predetermined interval of high speed operation, thereby to produce a regenerative current in the low speed winding power circuit, delivery means adapted to supply'impregnating solution to the sugar in said centrifugal, regenerative current-responsive means adapted to actuate said delivery means, switch means energized by the circuit in the low speed winding for rendering said regenerative current-responsive means operative, solution timer means to render said delivery means inoperative after a predetermined time interval, and regenerative current timing means actuated by said drying timer means for disconnecting the low speed winding from the power circuit before said solution is spun out of the centrifuge, thereby shutting down operation of the motor.

4. In centrifugal apparatus adapted to impregnate sugar with a solution separable therefrom by centrifuging, the combination with a centrifuge and a variable speed motor having a high speed winding and a, low speed winding, of a power circuit in which each of said windings is connectable and also disconnectable therefrom, switch means for connecting said high speed winding into the power circuit, timer means in a separate circuit responsive to the current in said high speed winding, said timer means being adapted to disconnect the high speed winding from the power circuit and coincidently to connect in the latter circuit the low speed Winding after an interval of high speed operation, thereby to produce a regenerative current in the low Speed winding power circuit, delivery means to supply impregnating solution to the sugar in said centrifugal, and solution timer means to render said delivery means inoperative after a predetermined time interval, both said solution timer means and said delivery means being in a circuit separate frcm said low speed winding circuit and both being responsive to the regenerative current in the low speed winding circuit.

5. In a centrifugal apparatus adapted to impregnate sugar with a solution separable therefrom by centrifuging, the combination with a centrifuge and a variable speed motor having a high speed winding and a low speed winding, of a power circuit in which each of said windings is connectable and also disconnectable therefrom, switch means for connecting said high speed winding into the power circuit, timer means in a separate circuit responsive to the current in said high speed winding, said timer means being adapted to disconnect the high speed winding from the power circuit and coincidently to connect in the latter circuit the low speed Winding after an interval of high speed operation, thereby to produce a regenerative current in the low speed winding power circuit, delivery means to supply impregnating solution to the sugar in said centrifugal, regenerative currentresponsive means in a separate circuit from said low speed winding power circuit adapted to actuate said delivery means, means in the said low speed winding power circuit adapted to render said regenerative current-responsive means operative, and solution timer means actuated by said regenerative current-responsive means to render said delivery means inoperative after a predetermined time interval.

6. In centrifugal apparatus adapted to impregnate sugar with a vitamin solution separable therefrom by centrifuging, the combination with a centrifuge and a variable speed motor having a high speed winding and a low speed winding, of a power circuit in which each of said windings is connectable and also disconnectable therefrom, switch means for connecting said high speed winding into the power circuit, timer means in a separate circuit responsive to the current in said high speed winding, said timer means being adapted to disconnect the high speed winding from the power circuit and coincidently to connect in the latter circuit the low speed winding after an interval of high speed operation, thereby to produce a regenerative current in the low speed winding power circuit, delivery means to supply impregnating solution to the sugar in said centrifugal, a rst electrical circuit containing regenerative current-responsive means adapted to actuate said delivery means, a second electrical circuit adapted to render said regenerative current-responsive means operative, said second electrical circuit containing a transformer having its primary coil in the low speed winding circuit, and solution timer means in said first electrical circuit to render said delivery means inoperative after a predetermined time interval.

'7. In centrifugal apparatus adapted to purify l.sugar and to impregnate the same with a vitamin solution separable therefrom by centrifuging, the combination with a centrifuge and a variable speed motor having a high speed winding and a low speed winding, of a power circuit in which each of said windings is connectable and also disconnectable therefrom, switch means for connecting said high speed winding into the power circuit, a water valve to supply wash water to the sugar in said centrifugal, a rst electrical circuit containing means responsive to the current in said high speed winding for controlling said water Valve, and also containing Wash water timer means; a first transformer having its primary coil in the high speed winding power circuit and its secondary coil in said rst electrical circuit, said water valve being adapted to open at predetermined values of the current in the high speed winding power circuit, a second electrical circuit adapted to be closed by the action of the wash water timer means and means adapted upon the closing thereof to close said water valve, said second circuit including drying l"imer means adapted to disconnect the high speed winding from the power circuit and coincidently to connect in the latter circuit the low speed winding after a predetermined interval of high speed operation of the centrifuge, thereby to produce a regenerative current in the low speed winding power circuit; a solution valve to supply impregnating solution to the sugar in said centrifugal, a third electrical circuit containing regenerative current-respon- 'isive means controlling said solution valve, and

solution timer means; a, second transformer having its primary coil in the low speed winding power circuit and its secondary coil in said third electrical circuit, said solution valve being adapted to open at predetermined values of regenerative current in the low speed winding power circuit, a fourth electrical circuit adapted to be closed by the action of the solution timer means and means adapted upon the closing thereof to 10 close said solution valve; braking means to stop the motor, means adapted to disconnect the low speed winding from the power circuit and to actuate said braking means.

ERNEST G. KOCHLI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th le of this patent: f

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,244,652 Kochli June 3, 1941 1,669,927 Carlson May 15, 1928 2,148,320 Olcott Feb. 21, 1939 2,152,562 Olcott Mar. 28, 1939 631,603 Zahn Aug. 22, 1899 139,078 Partz May 20, 1873 988,213 Shepard et al Mar. 28, 1911 1,663,731 Redlich Mar. 27, 1938 2,044,194 Visser June 16, 1936 2,069,388 Peebles Feb. 2, 1937 

